Beyond the Tunnel Problem: Addressing Cross-Cutting Issues that Impact Vulnerable Youth (2005)

Across the country, mayors, commissioners, superintendents, governors, and state policymakers are innovating to address the needs of vulnerable youth. These efforts take many forms: restructuring high schools to improve graduation rates, creating developmentally appropriate interventions to reduce juvenile delinquency, and revamping child welfare practices to keep more youth safely in their homes are just a few of these strategies. Many initiatives, however, are plagued by “crosscutting problems” – issues that cut across the different agencies that serve youth. Unless crosscutting issues are addressed proactively, they may undermine systemic reforms. This series of briefing papers is designed to inform officials, practitioners, funders, advocates, scholars and the general public about crosscutting problems and possible solutions to these problems.

Briefing Paper #1: Youth and Cross-Cutting Problems

Briefing Paper #2: Redirecting Youth from the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Briefing Paper #3: A Sensible Model for Juvenile Justice